Systems and methods to determine a location of a device

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for determining a location of a device. The methods can include receiving information associated with a device, which can include one or more radio frequency (RF) signal strength values associated with communication between the device and at least one antenna element of an antenna array. The methods can also include, determining, based at least partly on the information associated with the device, a location for the device.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for determining a location of a device, the system comprising:
 an antenna array comprising a plurality of antenna elements utilizing a first wireless communication protocol; and 
 a processor configured to execute operations comprising:
 receiving information associated with a device, the information comprising one or more radio frequency (RF) signal strength values associated with communication between the device and at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements; 
 determining, at least partly based on the information associated with the device, a location for the device, wherein the determining comprises comparing the information associated with the device to information associated with other devices, the information associated with other devices comprising location information for the other devices and associated RF signal strength values associated with communications between the respective other devices and the antenna array; and 
 assigning the location to the device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a 5G protocol. 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the device further comprises a detection by the device of a wireless local area network (LAN), a detection by the device of a neighboring cell site, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the location information of the other devices comprises GPS information for the other devices. 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the device further comprises: a make and/or model of the device, a make and/or model of an antenna within the device, age of the device, battery life, battery strength being utilized at the time of the communication between the device and the at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, operating system utilized by the device, maintenance version utilized by the device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: receiving information associated with the antenna array, the information associated with the antenna array comprising a location of the antenna array, an azimuth of the antenna array, an angular direction of the antenna array, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 4 , wherein the determining further comprises determining a confidence score associated with the determined location of the device. 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the confidence score is at least partly based on the information associated with the other devices. 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the location of the device comprises latitude and longitude values. 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the location of the device comprises x, y, and z coordinates of the device relative to a fixed known location. 
     
     
       11. A method for determining a location of a device, the method comprising:
 receiving information associated with a device, the information comprising one or more radio frequency (RF) signal strength values associated with communication between the device and at least one antenna element of a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array, wherein the at least one antenna element utilizes a first wireless communication protocol; and 
 determining, at least partly based on the information associated with the device, a location for the device, wherein the determining comprises comparing the information associated with the device to information associated with other devices, the information associated with other devices comprising location information for the other devices and associated RF signal strength values associated with communications between the respective other devices and the antenna array. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the first wireless communication protocol is a 5G protocol. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the information associated with the device further comprises: a detection by the device of a wireless local area network (LAN), a detection by the device of a neighboring cell site, a make and/or model of the device, a make and/or model of the antenna within the device, age of the device, battery life, battery strength being utilized at the time of the communication between the device and the at least one antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements, operating system utilized by the device, maintenance version utilized by the device, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the determining further comprises determining a confidence score associated with the determined location of the device. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: receiving information associated with the antenna array, the information associated with the antenna array comprising a location of the antenna array, an azimuth of the antenna array, an angular direction of the antenna array, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       16. A method for determining a location of a device, the method comprising:
 receiving information associated with a device, the information comprising one or more radio frequency (RF) signal strength values associated with communication between the device and at least one antenna element of a plurality of antenna elements of an antenna array, wherein the at least one antenna element utilizes a 5G wireless communication protocol; 
 receiving information associated with the antenna array; 
 determining, at least partly based on the information associated with the device and the information associated with the antenna array, a location for the device wherein the determining comprises comparing the information associated with the device to information associated with other devices, the information associated with other devices comprising location information for the other devices and associated RF signal strength values associated with communications between the respective other devices and the antenna array; and 
 assigning the location to the device. 
 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the location of the device comprises latitude and longitude values, x, y, and z coordinates of the device relative to a fixed known location, or a combination thereof.